Phillip Island Astronomy and Cosmology Association (PIACA)
Last Updated: 18/05/2026
Admin: PIACA Admin
- New members welcome
- Come along and join us, meet other members for an entertaining evening over wine and nibbles, a fun presentation, meet other members and enjoy some star gazing if the weather permits.
- For more information email enquiries@piaca.org.au
Our Sea Lake trip (previously postponed due to fuel shortages and prices) is now back on in a big way! This promises to be a great trip with lots of fun, fantastic company - and of course fabulous night sky viewing during winter, the best time to view the night sky. Stay tuned, more details to come.
PIACA is based in Phillip Island and surrounding areas and is comprised of members with an interest in astronomy and cosmology. If you enjoy any of the following:
- astronomy and viewing objects in the night sky with a telescope
- cosmology (how the universe works, its origin and fate)
- a fun night out socialising over wine and nibbles
then you will enjoy what PIACA can offer you. You can meet other members and get help with your own telescope if you have one, and the club owns a couple of telescopes for member use as well. We meet once a month, have occasional trips away (usually for a few days at a time), and have sky observing nights. Read on for more details about each of these below.
We meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:45 pm. We generally meet a different member's house each month and the evening consists of some social interaction over wine, cheese and biscuits. Around 7:15PM we have a short but very popular "What's in the Sky this Month" segment. After a short break we have a guest speaker to present on a particular topic related to astronomy and/or cosmology. If the weather is suitable, we will also have a telescope or two set up for you to be able to see an object in the the sky such as a planet or other object once the main presentation is finished.
Our website will show the approximate location of our next meeting and our members receive an email with the address of the meeting. If are not yet a member but would like to come along and have a look to see if a membership might suit you, please contact us for the location of the next meeting. You are welcome to bring a friend along.
Note:Although our meetings are usually hosted at a member's house, we do have a base at the Year 9 Bass Room at Newhaven College and may occasionally run meetings from there. PIACA is very lucky to have access to the school's 14 inch dome mounted, fully automatic remote deep-sky telescope. Meetings run at the school follow a similar format other than the school understandably having a no alcohol policy.
To get to the Year 9 Bass Room, enter by driving through the main Newhaven College gate at 1770 Phillip Island Rd, Rhyll VIC 3923. Veer right around the main car park, then turn right at the roundabout and follow the road to the end where you will find the Year 9 centre. Head into the Year 9 centre, turn left and walk down the main corridor and the Year 9 Bass room is the last classroom on your right.
In addition to our monthly meeting which is always on the first Wednesday of the month, we also hold occasional sky observing nights. As these completely depend on a lack of cloud cover, we announce them only a few days in advance when we have a high chance of having a clear sky.
These nights are all about looking through telescopes at the night sky and are held at a suitable outdoor site. If you have your own telescope, we encourage you to bring it along. At least one of the club telescopes will usually be set up in addition to member's telescopes. This is a great opportunity to use and get help with your own telescope if you need it.
Note:These events very much depend on having clear skies, and weather forecasts can change over a few days. Please check this website on the day of the event, just to make sure it has not been cancelled due to the weather.
We organise trips away each year to low
light pollution locations in Victoria. These trips provide exceptional
opportunities for deep sky viewing, as well as plenty of camaraderie and fun!
Our membership prices are billed annually around the end of January each year. Our club is a not-for-profit organisation and your fees help cover our costs such as insurances, telescopes, etc.
- Single membership: $55 (Seniors $45)
- Family membership $70. This includes yourself, your partner and your children.
- Optional small donation at member meetings to help cover the cost of the food and wine.
- No membership: First meeting free then $15 per meeting after that. This is a great option if you want to have a look at a meeting first before committing to a membership.
If you want to initially pay per meeting instead of taking out a membership, you will automatically be granted an annual membership after paying for 4 meetings, dated from your first meeting.
We are a friendly club and aim to entertain and educate as wide a variety of people about astronomy and cosmology in a nice social setting. We encourage members to bring their partners and families.
To request information about obtaining an annual membership, please send an email to our friendly committee at enquiries@piaca.org.au.
If you have a particular interest in an area of astronomy and/or cosmology and would to present to our group, please send an email to us at enquiries@piaca.org.au and we will consider your request.